Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open title defence has come to a dramatic end after the Spaniard was beaten by American Ben Shelton in a thrilling quarter-final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton produced one of the biggest wins of his career, defeating the second-seeded Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in an extraordinary five-set battle. The match lasted more than four hours and went deep into the New York night, with both players producing high-quality tennis in a contest that repeatedly swung in momentum.
Alcaraz took the opening set in a tight tiebreak, but Shelton responded emphatically. The American dominated the second and third sets to move within one set of a major upset.
The four-time Grand Slam champion refused to surrender, however, as Alcaraz stormed through the fourth set to force a deciding set. The final set was another tense battle, with neither player able to pull clear. Shelton eventually held his nerve in the deciding tiebreak, winning 10-7 to seal a memorable victory in front of the home crowd.
Originally published by NotJustOk.